


The Snow Queen...Er King

by charminghex99



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Gen, Tiny bit of romance if you squint
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-04-21 02:37:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4811780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charminghex99/pseuds/charminghex99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Asami the Ice King kidnaps Akihito's little brother, he will stop at nothing to get his family back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How A Magic Mirror Threatened The World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amelita](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amelita/gifts).



> So this is my first Finder fic. I was encouraged to add my own stories by Amelita, and was inspired by Backtofive's fairytale challenge. Hope you like it.

Chapter 1

Once upon a time there was an evil troll named Sazaki. He was twisted in both form and spirit. He was so evil that he was the headmaster of the troll school. As the troll in charge he encouraged his students to do two things: 1) Grow hideous facial hair like his own goatee, and 2) to create magical items that would cause havoc across the world. When one of his students succeeded in creating a magical mirror that distorted everything it reflected, he killed the student, and claimed the item as his own. Sazaki then took the mirror all over, distorting the world within the mirror’s reflection.

For inside the mirror beautiful landscapes looked like “boiled spinach”. When the mirror was turned on people all of the bad and ugly aspects were magnified, and all that was good was shrunk to be practically invisible. Sazaki’s amusement with the mirror grew with every distorted reflection. Finally, Sazaki got the idea to fly the mirror up to heaven, to laugh at God and his heavenly works.

Laughing all the while, Sazaki continued to rise towards heaven’s gates, already picturing what sort of images would appear in his mirror. He got so lost in his imagination, he didn’t notice when his grip began to slip. The mirror fell to earth, shattering into millions of pieces. Some shards were no bigger than the smallest grain of sand, but no matter the size of the piece they all still held the same power of the whole looking glass.

A few slivers found their way into the eyes of other people. From that moment on, the victims viewed the whole world distortedly thanks to the small shard. They saw all of the ugliness of the world, but none of its beauty. Slowly the victim’s hearts began to harden like ice, until they could no longer care about anyone or anything. Meanwhile Sazaki would laugh, pleased with the mischief he’d caused.

* * *

 

The wind carried the mirror shards all over the world, merging with several victims. One of them was a young boy with golden eyes. He wasn’t so much a boy, but a teenager making his way in the world. His family was gone, murdered by brigands. His spirit was already beginning to harden when a large shard of the magical mirror found its way into his heart. Ice began to take over his entire being. His raven hair turned white, and his tan skin became pale.  He became so cold hearted, that he gained control over ice itself. He recruited two male witches to act as his lieutenants, and together they built their own icy empire. Over time his icy kingdom threatened to expand to the entire world, and soon Asami the Ice King would rule all.

As ice crept across the world, people overcrowded the towns and cities trying to escape the snow. In one of these enlarged towns lived two poor children, or really one child and one teenager. They were not brothers, but they loved each other as if they had been. Akihito, the older of the two, looked after Tao in the orphanage they grew up in. Life was tough in the orphanage. The head of the building didn’t care about the children under his care, except as workers creating mittens for money.

 Luckily, there was a much kinder old woman that lived across street. Whenever they could, Akihito and Tao would sneak over to help the elderly lady with her garden. Out in the sunshine Akihito’s bright hair seemed to sparkle in the light. His smile lit up like the sun, warming the hearts of everyone that saw him. Tao was a real cutie too. Together they boys brought in several customers to the old woman’s garden, allowing her to live quite comfortably. While the boys worked, the elderly lady told them tales of adventures and magic. They were happy, at least for a time.

As Akihito grew older, his time at the orphanage was growing shorter. Tao began to worry when his big brother left, he would be all alone. He began to skip their meetings at the old lady’s garden, playing by himself at the edge of town. One cold day the wind was especially fierce. Something sharp got stuck in his eye. “Ahhh!” He screamed, as the magical shard began to harden his heart, transforming it into a lump of ice.

When Tao returned to the orphanage, Akihito could already tell something was different with him. He became cruel and apathetic. Aki tried to bring his little brother to the garden, hoping it might cheer him up. It didn’t work out quite like he planned. Tao remained quiet, not immediately tending to the roses like he liked to do. Akihito decided that maybe if he got to work beside the boy, it might get him to open up. He gathered the necessary supplies, and checked on his little brother. He gasped in horror as he watched Tao tear the garden apart. “Tao, what are you doing?”

Tao stopped pulling at the roses. Blood dripped from the thorns imbedded in his skin, but he could no longer feel the pain. “Oh see!” He held out the crushed roses. “That rose is worm-eaten, and this one is crooked.” Akihito rushed to the boy’s side, gently prying loose the thorns stuck in Tao’s skin. Tears began to mingle with the blood. What happened to his darling brother? Tao reached up a hand to cup his cheek. “Why are you crying big brother? It makes you look ugly.” Akihito recoiled in shock.

By now the elderly woman had returned, a tray of lemonade in hand. Shocked at the disarray of her garden, she dropped the entire tray. She screamed at the smaller boy, and told him to leave. Tao just shrugged, leaving them all behind. He didn’t even notice that he was still dripping blood as he walked. Akihito was too stunned to stop him. As Tao disappeared around the corner, Akihito finally snapped out of it. He ran as fast as he could after the boy, following the droplets of Tao’s blood to the edge of town.

* * *

Meanwhile, Asami was surveying his next conquest. From atop his white sleigh he could see the whole town. His golden eyes spotted movement, a small boy that was approaching him, and a mop of golden hair moving quickly across the town. A smirk appeared on his face, as a plan began to formulate. Asami instructed his driver to intercept the smaller boy.

Tao was surprised when a huge white sleigh crossed his path. The boy ignored the driver, his eyes riveted upon the regal man riding the vehicle. To his bespelled eyes, he was the most perfect being he had ever beheld. The man seemed to have been carved out of ice itself. The Ice King rose one of his perfect eyebrows, and called out. “Why do you tremble? Here, creep into my warm fur.” Tao was frozen in awe, so the mysterious man had to pick him up, and settle him in the sleigh. Despite the furs, the poor boy felt like he had sunk into a snow drift. “Are you still cold,” he asked. Tao nodded, and the Ice King kissed him on the forehead. The kiss was colder than ice; it finished the job the mirror shard had started. Tao felt like he was going to die for a moment, but felt better soon after. He didn’t notice that he didn’t feel the cold anymore, or that he was still leaving a blood trail.

“TAO!” The figures in the sleigh turned toward the voice calling for the little boy. A blonde figure was running up the hill towards them. Asami just smirked, and instructed his driver to return to the palace. Akihito could only watch as the sleigh disappeared with a shower of snowflakes, disappearing into the night.

 


	2. Finding The Right Information

Chapter 2

Akihito was distraught. His only family had a complete personality shift, had run away from him, and ended up being kidnapped by some sort of icy magician. For several minutes Akihito stared at the swirling snow. He didn’t know what happened, but he had to talk to someone. Tao was missing, and he needed to get him back. It was this thought gallivanted Akihito to run to the police station. He told his story to detective Yamazaki, but he dismissed the white magician as a delusion. Instead he began questioning **Akihito** like he was the true culprit. When Aki tried to refute that, and bring up the mysterious man, the detective laughed. “The only person that controls ice and snow is the Snow King, and what would he want with a couple of brats?” With that last barb the detective moved to handcuff Akihito, ready to charge him with kidnapping. However, Aki knew he was the only one who knew what the true culprit look like. If he was arrested, his brother could be lost forever.

Yamazaki grabbed his wrist, but Akihito had already made his move. He kneed the detective in the groin. Once he was doubled over, Aki knocked him onto his butt. He grabbed the handcuffs, and locked the man to the table. Before Yamazaki could call for help, Akihito was already on the streets. There was only one person who knew all about magical people items, and luckily he worked for her.

Akihito only rested once he got to the gate of kind old woman’s garden. He needed to work out more, tearing across the city had really did a number on him. After he caught his breath, Akihito opened the gate to old woman’s garden. “Oba-chan?” He called out, while trying to step around the destruction Tao had left in his wake. He finally found the woman tending the remains of her rose bushes. Akihito felt a pang in heart. He knew how much her flowers meant to the lady. Silently he gathered the gardening tools, and kneeled down to repair what he could.

They worked quietly for over an hour, before the old woman sat back on heels with a sigh. “Alright my little Aki, would you like to explain all of this.” Akihito told her everything, from Tao’s disappearance, the arrival of the icy magician, even his almost arrest at the police department. The old woman sighed again, but this time with a twinkle in her eyes. “You like to attract trouble don’t you Akihito? Getting involved with the Snow King is a one way ticket to danger. Will you continue on this path anyway?”

Akihito was offended. “Of course I will. He’s my little brother. Ice dude or not, of course I’m going after him.” The elderly woman chuckled, and motioned for him to follow her. Together the duo arrived on the banks of the local river. The woman knelt down, dipping her fingers into the waters. As she rose so did the water, with a few gestures the water changed shape. Akihito grinned, he loved it when the old witch let loose her powers.

The water witch turned to the young man. “If you are committed to this path, then I think you should know your enemy better.”


	3. Inside The Ice Palace

Chapter 3

It was a perfectly cold and pristine night Asami thought. There was no movement, no lights, just the glitter of ice in the moonlight. He turned towards his captive, no his newest guest. The boy was leaning over the edge of the sleigh, staring down at his palace in awe. It seemed to be an expression he wore often with Asami. Not that his approval mattered. His presence was required, but his approval was unnecessary. The Ice King directed the driver to land.

With a thump the sleigh came to a stop. Asami turned on his driver, a frown upon his face. He raised his staff up, and struck the driver through its frozen heart. His icy construct fell apart, freeing his staff, and allowing Asami to step down without breaking his stride. He was several steps away before he addressed Tao. “Boy, come.”

Tao wasn’t too disturbed by the sudden act of violence. He did stare at the remains for a few moments before following the frozen despot. He had to run to keep up with the king’s long strides, because he certainly wasn’t waiting for him. Together the males drifted through an icy marvel. The walls were made of hundreds upon hundreds of sheets of frozen ice. Inside the structure were over a hundred rooms, all vast, cold, and empty. Everything was ice cold and glittering, but there were no amusements to be found. Asami had even found a spell to turn off the northern lights, too whimsical, and it distracted from his icy palace.

Finally the duo reached the throne room of the palace. In the midst of the snowy structure was a frozen lake, broken upon its surface into tiny pieces. A body of water that could be reconstructed if only someone could put all the pieces back together. The broken shards of the lake were stacked upon each other, thus clearing a large circle. Only two pieces of furniture rose up from the remains of the lake; an icy throne and a large clear sphere supported by a three legged stand. Unknowingly Asami had them in a replica of what had caused all of their problems in the first place. If Saizaki wasn’t so afraid of Asami’s ice powers, he would love to have teased him about it.

Asami sat down on his throne. He gestured at the sphere before talking to his new house guest. “Would you like to see your friend?”

Tao tilted his head to one side. “Akihito? What does he have to do with anything?” Meanwhile the mysterious sphere began to glow. Images appeared inside the globe. A mop of bright golden hair, and a small lithe body running through town. Tao moved closer. It almost looked like he could reach out and touch his older brother. Except the only thing he could feel was the smooth glass separating him from the image. He turned back to his host.

“Do you realize that your town sits on the edge of my territory?” Tao shook his head in response. “As my kingdom grows there is a set routine. Ice creeps in, killing the crops, the livestock, and just when the people get desperate my messengers arrive. If they surrender and pledge allegiance they are entitled to my kingdom’s supplies. If they refuse, well then they starve. The ice takes over, and I have new ice sculptures to enjoy. Except your town breaks pattern.”

Asami crossed his fingers in front of him, his face growing pensive. “The ice has continued to move past the town, but your plants continue to grow. The livestock give their masters’ food. The people still smile, laugh, and thrive. Especially when that boy enters the picture, raising hopes, bringing smiles. I first thought it was the witch that lives near the river that caused his discrepancy, but I’ve frozen several witches. I once employed a few, but I find that my ice creatures provide more than enough protection. So regular witch craft cannot be the cause of this…anomaly.”

Normally this conversation would have freaked Tao out, but between the Ice King’s and the mirror’s spells his emotions were locked down. His analytical skills were active though. “You think that the reason our town hasn’t frozen over is because of big brother? That doesn’t make sense. He doesn’t have any special powers.”

Asami snorted. “I’ll be able to determine that shortly. When he comes after you, he’ll have to bring out all of his skills into the open. Then I’ll know how to prevent such interruptions in the future.”

“What will happen to me?” Tao asks. He wasn’t too concerned, more like puzzled in what his role in all of this is.

“Hmm.” Asami had to ponder this. His eyes caught on the glittering shards of his broken lake. “Alright. If you can use the pieces here,” he gestured to the blue shards scattered across the room, “to spell out the word _eternity_ I’ll let you go.” He smirked at his guest. “I’ll even throw in a new pair of ice skates.” With that he dismissed the boy, and focused upon the glowing orb. After a moment Tao turned to watch as well. It seemed the next move was all on Akihito.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses on who Asami learned about witchcraft from?


	4. Of Water Magic And Farewells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry. I had this written earlier, but my internet was down. Now onto where we get to see some water magic, and Aki starts his journey.

Chapter 4-Water Magic And Farewells

Akihito watched as his former employer shaped the water into a floating mirror rising above the river. The frame was made up of fluid strands of water. He wasn’t sure what the old witch wanted to show him, but it was privilege to get to see her work. “Hey Oba-chan, isn’t awesome to use your powers for more than irrigating your lawn?”

She glared playfully back at the teen. “Do you want my help or not? Now come here. The water wants to show us something.” Akihito moved towards the bank. “Your foe is not someone to be trifled with. His name is Asami, but most know him as the Ice King. He rose to power over a decade ago, but his kingdom stretches over continents. Entire oceans turned into solid ice. Fields turned into snowy tundras. Whole cities have frozen over at his command. Some speculate that within another decade the whole earth will be covered in ice.”

Akihito paled. That was a lot more dangerous than he’d been expecting. What could a man like want with Tao? Or more importantly what could the man to do him? “Oba-chan where would he take a little boy like Tao? To his home? A prison?”

The old witch shook her head. “No. No prisons in Asami’s lands. If someone breaks the laws, his ice creatures finish them off. Woman, child, or man it does not matter. All who defy the king fall under his wrath. He took Tao personally, that means he would have to stay under his supervision.”

“Then where does he live?” Akihito was practically bouncing in nervous energy. “If he’s a king then he’s got have some sort of castle. To show off his riches, bad taste, and general noble snobbishness.”

The water witch chuckled. To Akihito wealth and snobbery went hand in hand. “Yes, the Ice King does have a home to the far north. It is said that he cast a spell to hide his palace, camouflaging it within an endless snowstorm. Only when the great lights shone in the sky, could someone be guided there. Those lights have not glowed in many years, and there are few that still live that could act as a guide. However, ice is just another form of water. In a direct fight I have no doubt that Asami could crush me, but as long as he uses his powers he cannot hide from me either. Let me show where you must go my boy.”

Akihito turned his gaze towards the floating strands of water. In the middle an image of a frozen palace appeared. Akihito gasped at its beauty, while also shivering from dread. While otherworldly in its beauty, the castle was eerily bereft. No sign of warmth shone from any windows. The portcullis was closed, barricaded, and patrolled by hundreds of strange ice creatures. Akihito looked a little closer, it seemed the figures were some sort of ice bears. With huge paws and sharp icicles for teeth.

Aki needed to close his eyes for a moment. Breath in, and breath out. Tao was in there. Alone. Scared. Lonely. He needed his big brother. Akihito needed to be there, to rescue him.

“Oba-chan,” Akihito opened his eyes to look at his former employer. “How do I get there? I don’t have any money, but if you could lend me even a little, I promise to pay you back. Please.”

The lady smiled, patting the teen on the arm. “Now. Now. No need for that. Thanks to you boys I’ve made a nice little nest egg, and without threatening to turn my neighbors into toads.” She chuckled before pulling out a small purse. “I was meaning to give this to you when you ready to strike out on your own. No sense giving you coin, when that old miser that runs the orphanage would confiscate it anyway, but I digress. Here you go, and I have one more gift to give.”

The witch mumbled a few more words, and gestured like she was pulling something from the depths. After a few moments a shape began to emerge from the water. A small ship rose from the waves. A few more incantations, and all the water trapped on board returned to the river. Akihito had to pick his jaw up from the bank before he could thank the witch.

“This is amazing! Where did you get a boat? How did you even get it here? It was hidden all this time? Are you really going to lend this to me? Thank you. This is so cool. Do you have any other treasure hidden underwater? I can’t wait to tell Tao about all of this!” Akihito babbled as explored the boat.

The old woman began to answer, when she was interrupted by the sounds of shouting. “There he is! That kid assaulted a police officer, and kidnapped a small boy. Get him before he get away!” It was Yamazaki, and a bunch of other goons in police uniforms. Seemed like the detective didn’t appreciate being trapped by his own handcuffs. The men had already broken down the woman’s gate, and were thundering down the path to the river’s bank.

“No time my little Aki. I can give you a bit of a head start, but you need to leave now!” The old witch chanted a few words and the boat began to move forward. A magical wave crested, propelling the boat along the river.

Akihito dashed to end of the boat, cupping his mouth in order to shout. “What about you Oba-chan? Will you be alright?”

The water witch chuckled. “I’ll be fine. Time to remind these whelps why you don’t break a witch’s property. Take care Aki! Make sure you bring Tao back with you next time!” Akihito waved until the current took him around the river’s bend, and away from home.


	5. Danger And The Man Who Could Conjure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry! I got stuck. Sudou's personality is really hard for me to write. Hopefully, I've got him down, and it won't take so long for the next chapter.

Riding along a magically propelled boat was a blast, for the first five minutes. The path the river flowed didn’t cross any other towns along its path. So there was no one to talk to, or even wave at.  Nearby the banks of his means of transport, flowers grew, but beyond that the countryside was covered in snow. Many of the townsfolk hypothesized that the Ice King purposefully allowed the rivers to flow, but froze the world’s oceans. That way could survive, but remain isolated from each other. If a town tried to rebel, Asami’s first action would be to freeze the area around the town’s water source. A show of power, and a silent warning. Needless to say, there weren’t a lot of rebellions against the master of ice.

For Akihito this meant that the first leg of his journey was pretty boring. He started to nod off. Finding the sunniest spot available, the teen laid down. He trusted that the old witch’s magic would take him as far as it could. So for several hours Akihito slept as the boat continued to float. Finally, the stream lead the vessel to the banks at the edge of an orchard.

The jolt of boat landing woke Akihito up. He glanced around, noting that land even around the river had frozen over. The only plant life around seemed to be the cherry trees growing up from the frozen tundra. Aki started to shiver, it was a lot colder up here than his hometown, plus he had left his coat back in his room at the orphanage. If he didn’t find something warmer, he would freeze before he could find Tao. Plus his stomach woke up shortly after he did. He bet those plump looking cherries would make a good meal.

As he approached the trees, he noticed a glass building just beyond the tree line. “A greenhouse all the way out here?” He looked at the cherries. “I bet all of these belong to the owner huh? Darn. Maybe they’re nice. I bet they could spare a few.” With his new found optimism the teen began looking for an entrance. He found an ornate golden gate protecting the way inside. There were letters engraved in the middle. “DRACENA.” Aki tilted his head to the side. What the heck does that mean? Maybe it was the owner’s name? He shook his head, instead focusing on turning the golden handle, and getting out of the cold.

Inside the glass dome it was wonderfully warm. There wasn’t an icicle to be found. Instead the floors were made up of dirt, and plants were everywhere. Huge bushes made up walls of greenery, kind of like the hedge mazes Oba-chan would tell stories about. Places full of monsters, mysteries, and the odd witch or two. It was amazing! He couldn’t help but reach out and touch. Flowers blossomed under his hand. Roses in different colors bursting forth from the hedges. Aki laughed, and started to trace pictures into the greenery. Flowers followed his hand. Soon images out of the fairy tales Tao loved adorned the sides of the hedge maze. Griffins, dragons, and giant beasts frolicked on a green canvas. Whoever built this greenhouse must have some amazing earth magic.

“Hello? Hello? Is anybody here? I love your garden.” Aki called out.

“Who goes there? How dare you enter this place without permission!” A voice screamed from the depths of the garden. A blonde man emerged from the shadows. For someone that lived in a garden the man sure didn’t dress for it. He wore a white suit, and Aki was pretty sure that was a gold scarf around his neck. It wasn’t cold in the glass dome at all.

The whole time the stranger stormed towards Akihito he was screaming. So the teen was surprised when the man suddenly got quiet. He stared at the roses popping up from the hedges. His mouth agape. Aki stopped to appreciate the silence. He was pretty sure it would be the last he heard for a while, once the other blonde snapped out of it.

The stranger reached out towards the roses, and gently touched the petals. “My roses! I haven’t been able to grow these in years. I could make hundreds of bouquets with these. How?” The older blonde turned to the intruder in his greenhouse. “Was this you? Some brat that wandered in? And that smell…” The suited guy inhaled deeply. “Well, this is interesting. These could fetch $10 each.”

Akihito was starting to get a little creeped out. “Well I’m just gonna go.” He started to edge towards the door. “Great place you’ve got here. You must have a lot of magic invested in this place, but you seem busy. I’ll let myself out.”

The older blonde seem to blur. He grabbed the teen on the arm, yanking him back towards the depths of the garden. “Hold it right there!” He tried to smile, but it was way too toothy. “Truth is, I just can’t bear to see you go hungry in this freezing weather my sweet kid. Come in.” He punctuated the statement with a sharp tug. “I’ll give you some hot tea and biscuits.”

Akihito shook his head in denial. “That’s fine. I was on my way to see the Snow King.”

“My dear boy, you don’t want to see him. You can call me Sudou.” He smiled that toothy grin. “You and I must simply sit down for a chat.” Akihito was pulled through several green archways towards the center of the garden maze. As they walked, vines shot up from the ground. Together they twined into a living table and chairs. The man named Sudou pushed the teen into one of the chairs, before sitting down opposite. “Now who is it that awakened the magic in this place? Who are you young man?”

“My name is Akihito Takaba.” The teen answered slowly, still a little wary. “My little brother was kidnapped by some Icy magician, who calls himself the Snow King.”

Sudou’s eyes grew very large. “The Snow King! Asami-sama? The soon to be ruler of the world?”

Akihito growled. “I don’t care who he thinks he is. He stole my little brother, and I have no clue on what he could be doing to him! I need to go. Now.” The teen started to storm off, but Sudou forced him back down into the chair.

“You can’t just march into Asami-sama’s ice palace. He’ll freeze you into a popsicle. I’m sure your brother, what was his name again?”

“Tao,” Akihito bit out. “His name is Tao. He could be in trouble, so ice dude or not I need to find him. I don’t really have time for chitchat.”

“Well this Tao can certainly wait until you’ve had some biscuits and tea right? No sense rescuing someone on an empty stomach.”

Akihito perked up at the mention of food. “Do you have something a little more substantial? I haven’t had anything to eat in a while.”

Sudou clapped his hands like an excite child. “Of course! Plus I have the most perfect tea, which I’ve just been dying to try. While we eat, maybe you can even tell me how you made those images out of the roses. Was it a spell? Some kind of potion? A magical ability maybe? You can just tell me later, I’ll just go grab that tea.” He left before the other blonde could even protest.

* * *

 

Sudou was pissed. Some uppity little brat was holding out on him. He didn’t know how the kid awakened the roses, let alone grew them into pictures. He must have been some earth witch. And that lie about his little brother? Pure bullshit. He was probably on his way to offer his power to be another food supplier like himself. In a land covered in ice, only those with a connection with the earth can hope to grow crops. The brat probably wants to be his competition, offers his services at a better rate or something. Sudou stopped at the thought of services…

The brat was cute, in a way. Bright golden hair, baby blue eyes, and a mischievous grin. He didn’t want the kid anywhere near Sudou’s Ice King. The only worthy of the man’s attention was himself. The only one with powers even comparable to Asami-sama was himself. This blonde brat wasn’t worthy of polishing Asami’s shoes. He could just get rid of him, and add the body to his fertilizer, but why not use him? Yes. He could use his abilities to make himself, and Asami richer. With the money the brat brought in, Sudou could get enough to make his own kingdom. Become a king in his own right, and truly be equal to the most perfect man on the planet.

Sudou grinned. He knew just the way too. The kid was way too trusting. Who sticks around just for the promise of food? Add a few of his special Forget-Me-Nots petals to his tea, and the kid would forget everything. He wouldn’t remember his fictional little brother, his date with Asami, even himself. Sudou would keep the brat in his greenhouse for forever, profiting off the kid’s stupidity and power. His new slave would make him quite rich.

 


	6. Akihito Gets Even

Sudou returned carrying a silver tray full of goodies, and sinister smile. Akihito was so focused on the food that he missed the creepy grin. Was he salivating? He did a drool check. Yep, he was dripping, so he leapt up to help the other blonde carry the tray to the table. Akihito split up the food, 4 biscuits for him, and 2 for the other guy. Akihito looked over at the greenhouse owner, who was busy pouring tea, which gave him just enough time to stuff two of the biscuits in his mouth. Now it looked like they were equal.

Sudou turned back to his sla-erm guest. “Now my boy you must simply tell me how you did it? I’ve been trying for years, but I’ve never gotten the roses to smell like anything. Well except for manure of course. I use it as fertilizer.” Akihito raised an eyebrow in response, since his mouth was still full. Sudou continued on, not all that bothered about not getting a verbal reply. “Is it a spell? Some kind of potion? Or was it just a magical ability? I bet that’s it. You’re an earth witch too?”

Akihito swallowed early in surprise. He choked, hitting his chest to dislodge the undigested biscuit. “NO.” He cleared his throat to clear the airway. He glanced at the disdainful look on Sudou’s face, and got his act together. “I’m sorry, but no I don’t have magic. I just assumed it was your magic that caused the roses to bloom like that. They were amazing by the way, so many beautiful colors!” Sudou blinked at the honest compliment, but Aki continued on. “I just waved my hand, and they followed it like a puppy. I then drew pictures from the stories Tao liked best, and the roses copied me. There, that’s the whole story.” Aki took a drink of his tea, it smelled really floral. He wondered what was in it.

Sudou smirked. “Keeping the secret close to the chest are we? Well no matter. You won’t be able to keep any secrets in a few moments.” Akihito frowned in confusion, before he started to sway. The teacup fell from his hand, shattering on the ground. The teen’s eyes clouded over. He stared at the witch blankly. Sudou started to chortle, cackle, but finally broke out into full maniacal laughter. His new slave just watched.

“Let’s see what should I call you? You could be my grandson.” Sudou blanched. “Um never mind. I order you to forget that. Let’s see I could be your uncle, oh I could be your father. No. I’m really more of a brother aren’t I? We could be brothers, or better yet best friends. No, let’s go back to being brothers. You are now my little brother. Got that? Nod your head if you can understand me.”

The small teen nodded his head, the light in the boy’s eyes gone. Sudou ordered the teen to stand up, and his new slave followed obediently. He directed the boy to the manure pits. For several days the witch used his slave for back breaking labor in the crop fields. Other than making the slave eat, drink, and sleep he cared little for his welfare. On the fourth day he directed the teen to fertilize the rose garden. The blonde slave got to work silently, spreading the manure all over the hedges, until he reached the hedges right in front of the entrance to the greenhouse. Blue eyes stared at the images drawn by roses on the hedges. A small spark of light started to shine in the formerly dull eyes.

Akihito began to remember something. Memories of nights curled up around a small body, listening to fantastic tales. He reached a hand out to touch the roses, which grew out of the hedge to meet him. He caressed one of the roses, and he could swear the plant shivered in delight. He trailed his hands over the pictures made out of plants, a smile growing with each memory unlocked. Several more roses growing under his touch, causing the hedges to explode in color. He whispered to the roses and they drew pictures for him, taking their inspiration straight from his heart. A little boy’s picture appeared out of the greenery. “Tao,” Akihito called out with his heart and his voice. His memories breaking free of the spell.

He was free. He remembered everything now, and he was pissed. How dare that bastard of a witch mess with his head! It wasn’t right! And he was going to get even! That Sudou might know his way around the herbs, but he was a conceited little braggart. He didn’t even try to hide which plant was enforcing the spell from his empty-headed slave. Well, who he believed was thoughtless anyway. Truth was Akihito was aware of every minute he was under that spell.

Akihito snarled and stomped one foot. Payback would be epic, and he believed a taste of his own medicine in order. Akihito ran over to the herb garden, looking for a flower with blue petals. He spotted one by a giant tree at the edge of the garden. Before picking the petals he whispered a few encouragements to the plant. “Please let the manure covered bastard forget everything. Let him become dumb and pliable. Then together we might be able to turn him from a money grubbing worm into a somewhat decent human being.”

Akihito picked the plant and hurried over Sudou’s kitchen. One boiled kettle pot later, Akihito had his booby trapped tea. He arranged the tea in the witch’s favorite teapot, gleefully leaving dirt fingerprints on the pot. Sudou had no problem letting his slave cook for him, and Akihito had plenty of practice from working in the orphanage’s mess hall. His only stipulation was that ‘little brother’ had to be hosed off. With a literal hose. So Aki took great pleasure in leaving a trail of dirt in his wake. He arranged the tea with the best sweets. Then he stood next to the tray, and pasted on the most dullard expression he could think of.

Sudou stormed in after a few moments. “You idiotic little brat! You made a mess everywhere! Give me that!” Sudou grabbed both teacups and snack plates. “You don’t eat until this place sparkles, got it?” Akihito nodded, and started to pretend to clean. Really he was watching the witch in his peripheral vision. The older blonde sat down with a huff. After a few more derogatory comments he finally started to sip his tea. Akihito waited for the crash of the teacup. Once he heard the shattering fragments, he stood up. Sudou was staring into space, his eyes dull, and his mouth hanging open. Aki took a few moments to appreciate karma. He tilted his head to one side, yep he was pretty sure that was a tea stain and that the witch hadn’t wet himself after all.

He strode up to the dumbstruck witch. “First off you are not my brother, uncle, grandpa or anything. We are totally unrelated. Alright? Nod if you understand me.” The witch nodded. “Okay your name is Sudou. I don’t know your full name because you never told me. You are an earth witch, which means you make things grow. From now on you get your own hands dirty. You **DO NOT** overcharge the people that you supply food for, only take enough to keep the greenhouse going. Any extra supplies you give to the needy got it?” Sudou nodded again.

Akihito dusted his hands off, grimacing at the dirt caked on his hands. “Okay that’s about it. Oh, I’m borrowing your shower, clothes, and cherries. Not necessarily in that order. I’ll take your silence as an okay. Now get up and take yourself and the garden. Dismissed.” Aki playfully saluted the witch before snagging the man’s shower. Once he was clean, he stopped to evaluate his clothing. Sudou had never given him any additional clothing. He could salvage the shoes, but his white t-shirt and jeans were ruined. He grabbed the least ostentatious shirt and pants, scowling when he had to roll the pants a few times. He picked up the warmest coat out of 30 identical white ones, but forwent the gold scarf. He stuffed the coat’s pockets with sweets for the road. He waved goodbye to the rose hedges on his way out the door. One last look at the greenhouse, and he could see Sudou shoveling manure. All was right in the world.

Aki made sure to grab those blasted cheeriest before walking into the snow. He had earned them fair and square.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay. Another chapter done. This might be the last for a while. I have a long chapter to write for the SAO watching the series fic. Plus I haven’t added another chapter for my comedy fic in a while. Next chapter will be back with Asami and Tao. Thanks for reading!


	7. What An Ice King Spies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I said that I had other fics I needed to work on, and I do. However a friend showed me the hits counter for this story. Over 2000 hits? I’ve never had such a popular fic. You all are awesome! So here’s a chapter to celebrate all of you awesome readers out there!

The Ice King and his guest watched the glowing orb attentively. Asami was impressed with the skill of the elderly woman. Creating a water mirror was not an easy task, but he quickly frowned. No other witch had been able to pierce the shrouding enchantments he had placed around his palace. Then again ice was just another form of water, even if it was the more powerful of the two types of magic. Yet every type of elemental power had a weakness. In a direct fight he would easily overpower the old woman, but conversely she could watch him from any reflection of his power. After the blonde was dealt with, the old woman would need be taken care of. It would not do for any of his enemies to learn how to approach him, but that was a problem to be dealt with another day.

The boy quickly grew bored when his brother fell asleep on the boat. His squirming was distracting, so Asami sent him away to play with the lake shards. Meanwhile the king continued to watch his prey from afar. He scrutinized every movement, the way the blonde moved slid his hand up his shirt in his sleep, the way he sprawled out on the deck, even the way the teen snored like a kitten under the sunlight. Akihito slept for a long time, only jolting awake when the boat ran aground.

The boy quickly moved up the hill, and stared at the cherry trees. The teen was clearly hungry if the drool was anything to go by. Surely an owner wouldn’t notice if a few were missing, but Akihito didn’t take any. He seemed to be looking for something else, like the entrance to a very familiar greenhouse. Asami realized it was Dracena, Sudou’s domain. Well, perhaps this would be easier than he thought. If the teen stuck around, Asami could easily dispatch an ice creature to pass on a message to Sudou. A fight with an earth witch might unearth the power the teen carried within.

The Ice king watched attentively as the teen entered his subordinate’s terrain. Akihito seemed amazed with Sudou’s plants. Asami honestly found the greenhouse distasteful, and not just because they are inherently warm and full of life. At least plants were quiet life forms, especially when compared with people. Sudou was an ostentatious boot licker. If the man wasn’t at least a little useful, Asami would have turned the man into an ice sculpture. Then have his ice creatures tear him to bits, and scatter the fragments far and wide.

However Akihito didn’t share his distaste. With a few waves of his hands the whole garden came alive. Was this it? Was the teen some sort of super powerful earth witch? Was that how he kept the freeze away? But he didn’t use any spells or potions, so how did he get the plants to react the way he wanted? All the teen did was touch the plants and they followed him like puppies. Color exploded on Sudou’s hedges, and images began to form. Asami decided to reevaluate his assumptions. The flowers weren’t being controlled by the blonde, they were blooming to please him. Just like the water witch had used her own powers to do the boy’s bidding. Would all types of magic bend to the teen’s will?

Asami ran out of time to contemplate the boy’s mysterious gifts. It seemed that they both had visitors. Asami’s guest had reappeared, he silently directed the child to sit at his feet. Meanwhile Sudou had finally discovered the intruder in his garden. The residents of the Ice palace watched as Sudou dragged Akihito further into the garden. They listened to Sudou’s attempt to extract information on the other blonde, it was abysmal. Sudou only came off as condescending, causing the teen raise his guards. Which promptly fell when the other man mentioned food.

His captive snorted. “Big brother becomes oblivious to everything else as soon as food is dangled in front of him. Manners, conduct, and general politeness go right out the window.”

Asami silently agreed, especially when Sudou returned to the scene carrying a silver tray. If the teen had been paying even the slightest bit of attention, he would’ve noticed Sudou’s sinister grin. The witch was obviously up to something, so the watchers were not too surprised when Akihito’s cup shattered on the ground. Asami felt a bizarre twinge in his chest as he observed the absent light in the teen’s eyes.

The child looked up at the Ice King. “Big brother isn’t going to be able to come get me is he?”

“No I suppose not.” Asami told the child, raising one eyebrow. “Not that you two would’ve been able to escape anyway. Besides we do have a deal, don’t we?” The child nodded, and returned to his puzzle. Asami continued to watch and plan. If the teen couldn’t overcome the spell, he could dispatch one of his creatures to reacquisition his prey form the subordinate. Maybe an up close study would reveal the power that had kept the cold at bay. However he wouldn’t allow Sudou to control the smaller blonde. It would give him too much power to provide cheap crops, and thus negotiate his own prices. No the blonde would either regain his ability to run wild, or Asami would simply claim him.

Sudou was ecstatic with his temporarily gained a pliable slave with his poisoned tea. For days Akihito cooked, cleaned, and tended Sudou’s garden. No witty comebacks, childish tantrums, or pranks were ever played. His entire personality was suppressed by the spell. Asami made sure to send the child away whenever Sudou wanted Akihito to cook a meal. Sudou never provided his slave with any other clothes, so he was always covered in manure from the garden. He wouldn’t allow Akihito in the kitchen without having him stand under a garden house to wash off the dirt. The water soaked right through the teen’s white shirt, jeans, and shoes. Asami wasn’t sure why he felt the need to stare when the hose came out, but he felt that the child had no need to see his beloved brother in such a state. The child could return once the heat of the flames in the kitchen dried Akihito off.

Then on the fifth day Sudou sent Akihito back towards the entrance to Dracaena. Even under the spell the flowers still responded to Akihito. Creating pictures without verbal prompting. One image seemed to be especially significant to the teen, a picture of boy made out of roses. He whispered a name, Tao, which caused his captive to snap to attention. So not all of the memories of his little brother had been locked away after all. In fact the picture seemed to snap Akihito out of placid state entirely. The light was back in his eyes, and that twinge Asami had felt in his chest disappeared.

Tao let out a laugh when Akihito turned the tables on the earth witch. Asami was surprised the child could still laugh after experiencing winter’s kiss. Even from afar the teen seemed to hold sway on the magic of others. Asami was surprised Akihito hadn’t killed the witch, or even hurt him. He just made him work his own garden, and in his bespelled state Asami would be able to arrange better deals for getting supplies to his subjects. He might not have the blonde, but at least Sudou was out of his hair. Soon Akihito had stolen some of Sudou’s clothes and cherries, then resumed his quest. Asami contemplated his gains and losses. While Sudou was taken care of, he was not even a little bit closer to understanding the boy’s powers. He needed another test. He waved his hand, and storm began to grow in the throne room. The boy backed away from the angry grey clouds, using the icy throne for cover. Asami made another gesture and the clouds moved out of the room. The boy peeked out once the magical construct was removed, but Asami was too busy to pay attention. He was more focused on following the traveling storm cloud with his inner eye. After all he had to make sure it made to its destination.


	8. Storms and Threats

Akihito was freezing his ass off! No literally he was. He couldn’t even feel that part of his body anymore. Figures that the coat he’d stolen off the witch was designed more to look good, then keep the body it hung over WARM. Still, it was better than nothing.

Akihito glanced up, trying to get a good look through the whiteout caused from the storm. It would be just his luck to crash into some giant snowbank because he was too busy shielding his face from the winds. Aki huffed at his rotten luck. First his brother got taken by a guy that looked like he had never seen a drop of sunlight in his entire life. Then he gets accused of kidnapping his own brother. Then he sets off on a journey to find said missing brother, only to get captured by some dandy with a blown up ego. Seriously, what kind of earth witch doesn’t even have a pair of work clothes when they live in a GIANT garden? Magic or no, that’s just stupid. Then he escapes from the dandy, only to end up in the middle of a blizzard. He wondered which god he had pissed off that decided to mess up his fate this bad.

Akihito continued to grumble to himself as he trudged on. He was just starting to get frustrated, when he spotted something in the distance. The wind grew even stronger the closer he got to the landmark, but Aki was determined. When he got closer, he realized that what he’d seen was a sign post. Aki grinned. This was perfect! He’d finally get a clue to where he was. He could find some people, ask about the icy magician, and maybe even get some intel on where he could find Tao! He stepped closer, and the storm just stopped.

Akihito blinked. He looked around. No wind, no storm, just hard packed snow, and the signpost. He looked up to find a sky empty of clouds. Huh. Aki looked around. The signpost stood at a fork. He didn’t recognize the names for the cities the signpost pointed to, but he supposed he could just pick one at random. See where he ended up. It was more mysterious that the storm just suddenly stopped. He stepped backwards, and he was transported back in the blizzard. He stepped forward, and he was surrounded by white serenity. He began to experiment. One foot back led to freezing winds and storm clouds. One foot forward was the empty beauty of winter after the storm. Back, he was battered by cold winds. Forward was tranquility. Back. Forward. Back again. Then when he was starting to freeze, he stepped back into the calm.

Akihito took a few steps forward, and looked back to whence he came. He saw miles of storm clouds that just all of sudden stopped at some hidden barrier. He could see the falling snow, and how it was whipped around by the brutal winds, but he couldn’t feel it from here. He couldn’t even hear it. Weird.

“Are you quite done?” A nasally voice called out from behind him.

Akihito turned and blinked. There was a something sitting on the signpost. He was pretty sure it hadn’t been there before. Cuz he definitely wouldn’t have missed a small green cavorted man with a goatee sitting there before. Aki was a little revolted by the mysterious creature, especially its weird beard. He had never liked facial hair. He liked even less facial hair that filled with disgusting bits of food and other things he didn’t want to think about.

“Like what you see there darling?” The green thing grinned at his perusal. Likely thinking the stare was one of admiration.

The teen tried not to let his disgust show on his face. He needed to remember not to judge something on its appearance alone. It could be nice, maybe. It, no he, must be pretty powerful. Especially since it was obvious that the barrier keeping the storm out was his doing. Aki made a small bow in greeting. “Hello. I hope this isn’t rude, but what exactly are you? Are you also the one that’s been stopping the storm? Thank you for that by the way.”

The green little thing cackled, and stroked its beard like it was contemplating something. Akihito tried not to shiver. “Polite and cute. Aren’t you adorable? Would you be so polite if I did some rude things to you? Or would those little mannerism go out the window with the rest of your…” He pointed at Aki’s head, and slowly let the digit drop, his eyes following the journey.

Aki blushed, his temper flaring. “None of your business!” He shouted at the thing.

The…the, well to be honest Aki still wasn’t sure what to call it, just chuckled. The teen decided to mentally call it the bastard. The thing was certainly acting like one. The bastard pulled out a cigar from somewhere, and a lighter. It lit the nicotine stick, and let a small puff of smoke.

“Well, that answers one question. Guess should I should reciprocate one of yours.” The bastard’s eyes were twinkling. Aki wanted to smack him. “So first I’m a troll. The biggest baddest troll you’ll ever meet.” He winked. “As to the second question, yes I stopped the storm. I wanted to make you an offer. Couldn’t really do that in the middle of a freezing squall could I? But please to show your appreciation, I have a few ideas on how to say ‘thank you’.” Like Aki didn’t know what the disgusting creature meant.”

Aki crossed his arms, and raised one eyebrow. “I think I already said ‘thanks’ just fine. Since you were doing it for your own benefit too, you don’t really need anything more.”

“Pity,” the troll said mockingly. “The name’s Sazaki. I’m a deal breaker. A master of magic. A collector of rare artifacts. A businessman of magic and magical means. I have a commission for you.”

“Me?” Aki repeated. “I don’t have anything magical. Also, I’m a little busy at the moment.”

Sazaki grinned toothily at the teen. “Oh, yes. I’ve heard about that. Looking for an ice magician that abducted your brother are you?”

Akihito froze in his tracts. This thing knew. Was it in league with Tao’s kidnapper? Did he know where the boy was? Or who the icy dude was?

“I could help.” The troll said, pretending to not be looking at the shocked teen. “In fact what I’ll be asking of you coincides with your journey. All it would take is a small favor.”

Aki shook his head. That last statement finally broke through his stupor. Anyone that really wanted to help wouldn’t be asking for something in return. He needed to be careful. “And what would that be?”

“Oh, really it’s nothing.” The troll said with fake modesty. “I just need you to dig out a little piece of magic out the magician that stole from me. No biggie. Here, I’ll even give you a tool to make it easier.” Sazaki rummaged something out from one of its pockets, and threw it down into the snow.

“Dig out the magic?” Aki said confusedly while reaching down for the mysterious object that the troll dropped. He was just about to touch the thing, when he realized what it was. Akihito backed away. Away from the troll, and away from the dagger that it had tried to trick the teen into picking up.

Sazaki crossed his arms and huffed. “Really? It’s just a little tiny weapon. Touch it. It’ll come in handy in getting the piece of magic the Snow King took from me.”

“NO WAY!” Akihito screamed.

Sazaki clicked his tongue in exasperation. “Come on cutie. It’s all part of the deal. You take the dagger, and it’ll seal the deal. You dig out the magic shard, and I’ll give you all the information you need. Tell you what, I’ll even show you the way to your brother.” The troll snapped his fingers, and a path carved itself behind him. Now the signposts marked three paths. Except Sazaki’s enchanted path clear of the snow, and painted an ominous red. Aki couldn’t help but be reminded of blood.

“Dig out you say? Yeah right! You mean you want me to carve something out of a person, with that thing.” He pointed at the dagger still sitting in the snow.

Sazaki waved his hand. “Semantics.”

Akihito frowned. “No.”

“Don’t be so quick to dismiss a good deal.” The troll wheedled. “You get a brand spanking new dagger. A clear path to your brother, and you confront the guy who took him. Maybe use that cute little face to sidle up to him. Distract the guy with a little flirting, and insert the dagger in the chest cavity. Then all it takes is a little digging, and out will pop a little shad that was caught in some kidnapper’s ticker. Easy.”

Akihito paled. “His heart? You want me to carve out some dude’s heart? Are you crazy?”

“And maybe your brother’s eyeball.” Sazaki said with a shrug.

That was final straw for Aki. He scooped up some snow, and hurled it at the troll. It hit dead on, right in the middle of Sazaki’s unibrow. The troll dropped like a stone, but Aki wasn’t done. He continued to pelt the bastard. “What.” **Splat.** “The.” **Slam.** “Hell.” **Bam.** “Is.” **Thump.** “Wrong.” **Crash.** “You?” **Bulls-eye.**

Akihito probably would have continued, but Sazaki finally pulled himself together. Between one blink and another the troll disappeared. When he materialized, he was a healthy distanced away from the enraged teen. Akihito bent to scoop up some more snow. The troll panicked and held out his hands to hold off the next barrage. “Stop. Stop. Stop. Okay, I get it!”

Aki paused his throw, but he didn’t drop the snow. Sazaki quickly continued his argument before the teen could change his mind. “No carving or digging up the brat. I get it, but it might be the only way to get the brat back to normal!”

Akihito dropped the snowball with a plop. He crossed his arms and glared at the troll. “Explain.”

Sazaki wilted under the stare. Who knew a human could be so intimidating? “I had this magic mirror. Turned the reflection of anything caught by it into something distorted. Magnified the awful, and hid the good. It was fun toy.” He grinned at Aki, but all the boy did was glare harder. “Right. I may have dropped the thing, and it shattered. The wind picked up the shards, and deposited the magic all over the world. The Snow King,” he said with a sneer. “Is just a bastard that swallowed a larger than normal piece. Gave him the power to control ice for some reason.”

Aki wanted to smile at the irony of the green bastard calling someone else a bastard, but held unto his composure. Barely. “What does this have to with Tao?”

“A tiny sliver of the mirror must have landed in the kid’s eye.” When Akihito stared at the troll incredulously, Sazaki just shrugged. “It’s happened before. Anyway. When a mirror shard enters the eye of somebody, they can no longer see the beauty of the world. Everything turns ugly and boring. Eventually the shard hardens the victim’s heart, leaving them the coldest people on the planet.”

Akihito shuddered at his memories of Tao’s sudden switch in disposition. Is that what happened to his brother? How long until that state became permanent? “This has happened before? Why didn’t you help them if you knew what was happening?” Akihito screamed at the despicable troll.

“That would take all the fun out of it.” Sazaki said with a sinister smile. Aki threw another snowball at him, but the bastard disappeared again. He reappeared on the signpost. “Now. Now. Throwing things isn’t going to help anybody.”

“It’ll make me feel better.” Aki grumbled.

Sazaki continued like he hadn’t heard the complaint. “Plus it’s kind of hard to carve out a magical shard out of somebody when they’re still alive. It causes a lot of commotion when you do.” Akihito shivered at that. “So, it’s just easier to wait for the humans to kick the bucket. Then dig them out. The shards seem attracted to living things, so I just wait for someone for stories of people, animals, whatever to turn inexplicably hard hearted. Wait a bit, collect the shard from the corpse, and move on. I’ve gotten over half of my mirror back that way. But…I’ve hit a big of a snag.”

“Thus the dagger.” Akihito said snidely.

“Exactly.” Sazaki nodded. “I need the shards, you need your brother, so we make a deal.”

“Why can’t you wait for this guy, the Ice King? Why can’t you wait for him to kick the bucket?” Akihito questioned.

Sazaki grimaced. “The shard might have made the guy immortal. He’s stayed alive a lot longer than most humans do, even witches. Probably so cold, that’s he’s frozen time over.”

“And you can’t go after him yourself?” Akihito felt a little bad for advocating for another guy’s assignation. Even if he was filthy kidnapper.

Sazaki scratched at his cheek. Pretending to be nonchalant. “He might have gotten a little too powerful for me. At least for a frontal approach.”

“So it’s okay to send me on a suicidal mission, rather than risk yourself?” Akihito clarified.

Sazaki beamed at him. Not that it made him seem any less ugly. “You got it kid. Now pick up the dagger, and our deal’s all sealed.”

“No.”

Sazaki’s face fell. “What do you mean no?”

The teen glared at the manipulative bastard. “No. I will not help you hurt more people. Both this Ice Guy and Tao are your victims. They don’t deserve to be carved up. They need help! I’m gonna get my brother back, and take him to the nearest witch I can find. We’ll find some way to get the shard out, without hurting him. Once we figure it out, then I’ll tell the Ice…Magician…Dude…King or whatever the cure. Then we make sure that no one else has to suffer through something like this again!”

Sazaki sneered at the naïve little human. “Fool. Asami will turn you into a frozen stature before you could get close without my protection!”

Akihito tilted his head to the side in confusion. “Who’s Asami?” Huh. The name tasted funny on his tongue. Like a hint of chocolate that dripped on his tongue with every letter. He wanted to say the name again, just for the feel of it. Akihito shook his head. Now was not the time. He needed to focus. “What protection? All you’ve offered is to clear a path!”

 “The Ice King, you little brat! That’s his name!” When Aki continued staring at him in confusion, the troll pointed at the weapon in the snow. “And that dagger is your only protection against him. It’s enchanted against ice. Take it in hand, and Asami won’t be able to freeze you.”

“I won’t use it.” Akihito said stubbornly. “I won’t be your pawn in hurting someone else. Not even against some kidnapper! So take your knife and go screw yourself!”

“Fine.” The troll said icily. “Die in the frozen wastelands for all I care! You’ll never see your sibling ever again!” With a gesture the dagger rose from the snow, and returned to the troll’s hand. Akihito blinked, and the bastard was gone. The red path had disappeared with him. Akihito was once again alone.

The teen sighed, and closed his eyes. Well, at least he was out of the storm. He still had no clue where to go from here, but he knew a little more about what he’d gotten himself into. Yay progress!

“That was brave of you.” A voice called from above him.

Akihito winced. Shit. He hadn’t much luck with mysterious voices lately. What did this next one want?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Sorry this has taken so long to update. RL has gotten in the way. Well, that a few other plotbunnies. I also updated chapter seven, to make this fit together a little more. My next goal is finish this fic before updating a few of my other stories. See you next chapter!


	9. Conversations On Trolls, Crows, And Trolling Princesses

Chapter 9-Conversations On Trolls, Crows, And Trolling Princesses

Aki really didn’t want to look. Hadn’t his day been weird enough? Kidnappings, witches, quests, and trolls we’re more than enough trouble. Plus he had a date with that Ice Dude to worry about. Wait. Date? What the hell brain? Aki blushed, and used that as an excuse not to look.

Except clearly the voice wasn’t one to be ignored. With a sharp rap on the head, the boy automatically looked up. It was a crow. A normal looking black crow. So where had the voice come from?

Aki heard a sigh, but he couldn’t locate the source. The crow that had pecked him glided towards the post. It landed gracefully, before turning towards the teen. It bowed, and spoke. “I can see logic is not your forte. So I’ll think that I will have to spell it out for you. I am the one that called you brave. Foolish, but definitely brave too.”

Akihito huffed indignantly. What did this bird brain know about anything anyway? “Oh, yeah? What would you have done?”

“Not taken the knife, but I would have distracted the troll. At least until I stepped on the path, so it wouldn’t disappear. Then I could have used it to get to my destination without making a deal.” The crow replied primly.

Like it was that simple! “Wouldn’t have that slimy bastard just have made the path disappear?” Akihito reasoned. “I mean his magic made it, so it could have ended it just as easily.”

“Only until that first step. Once a magical path is started, it cannot be erased, or converted until its end.” The crow dictated, almost as if it was reciting from a book. “You don’t know much about magic, do you?”

Akihito shook his head. Despite living next to a witch, he really didn’t know much about it. He knew that magic was all about connecting with nature, but other than that? Nada. His former employer didn’t want to risk turning him and Tao into social pariahs like her. Witches were always at the bottom rung of society, cuz no one really understood them, and it’s easy to despise what you don’t understand.

Yoh took Akihito’s silence as agreement. “Probably for the best. Sazaki probably would’ve been a lot more vindictive if you were less ignorant. He might be the head of the trolls’ magic school, but that’s not saying much. Humans seem to have a better grasp on the workings of magic, even those who can’t use it on their own. Which is why witches might be feared, but not persecuted.”

Which was such bullshit in Aki’s opinion. Even if you can’t feel the earth’s energies, you can at least listen to the explanations from someone that can. Yet, no one ever did. He supposed it was easier to remain in ignorance and prejudice. Even though it was WRONG. Sometimes he wished that he… Well no point on wasting time on distant dreams. Better to focus on the here and now. Like verifying if Sazaki was the bastard he had just met.

“Sazaki, was he the one who tried to broker a deal?” Aki asked the knowledgeable crow.

Yoh nodded. He had hoped the boy had picked up on that. “Sazaki is a bit of anomaly. Most trolls only have enough to use binding contract magic. You do this for this…Like when he offered the dagger for the mirror shards. Sazaki can do more, like using enchanted objects, or having them created. He then barters these items for power from humans, or other magical beings. You were wise to refuse the deal. He would have just used it against you, or more likely your brother. Have you had experienced with magical contracts and the like?”

“Nah. I’ve never even heard of that kind of enchantment. I just knew that the bastard was holding back on something. He acted like one of those slick salesmen. The ones that swindle people out of their money.” Akihito shyly smiled at the bird. “I get the basics of magic, but that’s about it. How much do you know about it?”

The crow shrugged. “I was once a witch’s familiar. My mistress has long since passed, but gifts and the knowledge live on through me.”

Akihito felt a prickle behind his eyelids. “That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”

The crow brushed off the pity. “It was a long time ago. It does give me the opportunity to help you a little. Certainly, you could use all the help you can get.”

“Thanks? I think.” Akihito said after a pause.

“If you mean to find some information about the Snow King, you could try the kingdom to the west. They have set up a truce with the King. They might know where he resides.”

“Oh, really? Thank you so much!” Akihito waved, and tore off on the path to the left. He only got a few feet when he thwacked on the head. “Ow.” He glared at the ball of feathers that had pecked him, again!

“Wrong way,” the bird said dryly.

Aki blushed scarlet. “Oops.” He looked up at the crow. Considered his options. What the hell? Couldn’t hurt to ask. “Do you mind showing me the way?”

The crow sighed, and circled back towards the path to the right. “I suppose. I’ve already stuck my beak out this far.”

Akihito grinned. Maybe feather brain wasn’t so bad after all. Except when he had paused, the bird had continued on the correct path. If he didn’t hurry, he might lose him. “Hey! Wait for me!”

* * *

 

It was very peaceful on the path to wherever it was they were going. Which translated to Aki as boring. It was just white, white, and more white for as far as he could see. Not very stimulating scenery for a teen like himself. He looked up at his companion, gliding on the updrafts above him. “Hey, I don’t even know your name?”

The bird glanced down at the teen. “Yoh,” he replied.

Akihito waited for the bird to elaborate. He didn’t. “Yoh what?”

The crow rolled his eyes. Apparently it wasn’t enough to be helpful, he was also supposed to be entertaining. “Crows don’t usually have names. Titles usually suffice if we must speak to each other. It’s not like scent or our markings don’t allow for us to tell who’s who anyway.”

“Really?” The teen said, his eyes round with curiosity.

“Yes.” Yoh said curtly. When he spied Aki’s face falling, he sighed. “Fine. I was typically The-One-Who-Is-Wiser. I could usually keep my flock mates out of trouble, or get them out when they did. It’s one of the reasons the witch chose me.”

Akihito pondered this for a bit. “Was she a kind witch?”

Yoh didn’t answer for several moments. “She was…not unkind. I suppose in the words your people use, she was distant.”

“Yoh…” Aki didn’t know what to say.

“She took me from my flock. Fed me. Taught me. She wanted a familiar that knew when not to push her boundaries. I was never an equal. Not even a pet. More like a favorite tool.”

Anger began to pool in Aki’s belly. No one should be treated that way. “You deserve more than that! You’re smart! Helpful! A really great friend!” The teen shouted at the bird. Righteous anger in his eyes.

Yoh chuckled mirthlessly. “You barely know me.”

“Maybe, but do you know how many people would’ve stopped to help a complete stranger? Especially one that had been conversing with trolls? Few, that’s how many. Most people are too busy taking care of themselves to worry about others.” Akihito paused to smile at the stunned crow. “But you? You not only approached, but you gave excellent advice. You even volunteered to show me the way when I took a wrong turn. Thanks Yoh. Thank you very much. I owe you one.”

Yoh had to clear his throat a few times before he could reply. “You are very welcome.” Then to cover up his embarrassment, he switched subjects. “But perhaps we could focus more on where we are going, then where we’ve been?”

Akihito hid a smile. No need to fluster the bird brain further. He collected himself. “Of course.”

The crow flew a little lower so the boy could hear well. “We will be traveling to the kingdom of Yamagata. It’s a peaceful place. They are very open to magic, even encourage its use. I believe that is one of the reasons Asami has declared with the kingdom. It would take too much energy to conquer it. Plus the current ruler’s parents were quick to build up trade between themselves and Asami’s kingdom. If anyone else knows how to reach the Ice King, it would be they.”

Akihito stopped in his tracks. Surprised, the bird found a branch to look at the teen. “You mean I’m going to have to talk to a bunch of prissy NOBLES to get the information. Surely, one of their servants would have the information. Like on a map, a tapestry, or something that doesn’t involve royalty.”

“No.” Yoh sighed heavily when the teen continued to glare at him. “Asami is known to be nearly as paranoid, as he is powerful. Few have even the slightest clue what he even looks like. Let alone know where to find him.”

Aki thought about this, for about a moment. “But does it have to come from a noble?” He whined. Yoh huffed, and Akihito pouted. “Fine.”

“It’s rude of you to object to someone that is actually willing to help you.” The crow chided.

The teen rolled his eyes. “You’re assuming that a stuck up lordling will deign to respond to our request.” He told the crow snidely. “Most NOBLES entertain requests from peasants, especially foreign peasants.”

Akihito was pretty sure the crow was smiling. Although, how could a bird do that anyway? It’s not like they have lips, but somehow Yoh pulled it off. “Luckily for you then, I might have a little dirt on the royal family.”

“Like what?” Akihito said, his curiosity piqued.

“I might tell you, if the little brat is ready to continue his journey?” Yoh snickered when this comment prompted the teen to pout again.

“Mmm not a brat,” Aki grumbled. He started following the bird though. They walked in silence for a few minutes. “So, promised story time?”

Yoh sighed, and muttered something about hatchlings. “I suppose I did.” The crow flew for a few more moments in silence. Gathering his thoughts for the tale. “It might interest you to know this story goes back several decades, during the reign of the parents of Yamagata’s ruler. Long before the ruling couple at the time grew sick, and stopped traveling amongst their neighbors. The past queen was quite eccentric. Very fashion conscious, and she simply adored feminine fabrics and accessories. She always made sure her heir was decked out in the most adorable frocks and dresses. The former king put up with this nonsense with an indulgent smile, even when the queen her parade their child amongst the foreign nobility. Then when the king grew sick, followed by the queen, diplomatic missions understandably were forgone. The kingdom kept up with all the trade agreements settled by the previous royal couple, but failed to establish new ones. Eventually, news coming to and from the kingdom began to dry up. Thus it is understandable that certain misconceptions have never been fully cleared up.”

“Misunderstandings?” Aki tilted his head to the side. “What misunderstandings?”

The crow did that weird not, but still somehow a smile thingie. “Now what would be telling young Akihito. You’ll just have to wait and see. Now where was I? Oh, the limit of information. When the king and queen inevitably passed, the right of rule passed to their only heir. When they came of age, the councilors immediately pushed the heir to seek a life partner. The heir caved to the pressure, and immediately sent out invitations for various royalty to come win their hand. The only problem with this was, that the only ones to show up were several very handsome princes.”

Akihito didn’t understand. “Why would that be a problem?”

Yoh’s eyes were practically sparkling with mischief when he revealed the truth. “Well it wouldn’t be such an issue if that current ruler is straight as an arrow, and HE has absolutely no interest in the male form.”

Akihito’s eyes were practically bulging out of his head. “B-b-but you told me the queen liked to dress the heir in dresses. Why would she do that to her SON?”

The crow shrugged. “I suppose she always wanted a daughter. Or perhaps, she just thought her child looked adorable in them. As I said, she was thought to be quite eccentric.”

Yoh was quite entertained by Akihito’s following antics. He muttered, sputtered, and generally made quite the spectacle of himself. Finally, the boy’s brain just gave out on him. He shrank into a crouch, his head between his knees. Yoh had to strain his hearing in order to listen as the teen muttered to his knees. “And how did the visiting princes take to that?”

“Oh them? I suppose they don’t know.”

That got Aki’s head up. “How could they NOT know?”

Yoh sniggered. “It was my idea actually. Since the kingdom desperately needed to re-establish its ties with the outside world, it just wouldn’t due to insult them by revealing the queen’s deception. I had already made great friends with the young prince Koh, and so he was quite amendable to my advice on solving his tricky problem. I told him to gather several dresses from his mother. Then to have the royal tailor fit them to his frame. Then to tie his long hair into a style more fitting of a lady. Once he was presentable, to go out and put off any suitors. In a friendly and respectable manner of course.”

“You are evil.” Akihito said with absolute certainty.

Yoh laughed heartily. “No, but I am a crow. We have earned our reputation as tricksters for a reason. Now back to the prince’s problem. Once rebuffed by the ‘princess’, I made the suggestion that the visiting royals should be invited back to come visit the ‘other royal twin’.  Thus on the 2nd visit Koh might be able to make a connection as himself. It worked. However, the rebuffing ‘princess’ became quite a legend. Soon we had dignitaries and nobles from all over trying to win the hand of the ‘princess’. Of course councilors were also adding their two cents as well. Soon Koh was wearing more dresses than pants.”

Akihito shuddered. “That’s awful.”

“Perhaps.” Then Yoh thought about it a little. “Though he did adapt to the circumstances pretty well. He grumbled about it a fair bit at the beginnings, but even out of practice he still knew his way around a dress. What is the human saying? Something about forgetting something and a bicycle?”

The crow shrugged the fleeting thought off, and continued the tale since Aki was just getting his feet back under him. “I’m a bit of a traveler. So while Yamagata is a favorite perch of mine, I don’t live there year round. Once Koh had an established routine, I journeyed. I checked up on him, but Koh seemed to have the situation well in hand. Then after a couple of years, the prince gave up on pants, and decided to wear dresses all the time.”

Akihito really his heart going out to the poor prince. Noble or not.

“The councilors were still pushing for consort, or something. Koh wasn’t attracted to any of the visiting noblemen. Why would he be? He likes women. So the councilors allowed for anyone to come try and build a relationship with their ruler. Then at last came the day that someone finally broke the routine.” Yoh by now was deliberately holding the teen in suspense. Hoping to get Akihito out of his funk. It had been amusing at first, but he wanted to make it to the castle before dark. Despite the superstitions, crows did do very well without at least a little sunlight.

“What happened then?” Akihito said with bated breath. Just “the response Yoh had been waiting for.

“Well…” The crow drawled, and took off from the branch. Akihito started in surprise, and ran after him. Once the teen was moving, Yoh drew closer, and continued the story. “A young man with a dusty knapsack and a straw hat came up to the gates of the palace. He claimed to want to speak to the ‘princess’. Now at first the guards just laughed at him, but he remained determined. The stranger dug out the councilor’s proclamation and pointed out the guards that anyone was allowed to try. Still skeptical, but wanting a bit of entertainment they let the peasant in. The young man strutted right past the glittering nobles and right up to the princess to say his piece. He spoke for over an hour. His speech was not as sophisticated as a lord, but it was not unpleasant to listen to, even though he spoke mostly in insults.”

“And they didn’t just throw him in jail?” Aki asked with awe on his face. He knew all about the consequences for mouthing off to someone supposedly better than him.

“No,” the crow replied with a shake of his head. “The whole court was held in awe with what the young man said. He claimed that as a citizen of the kingdom he was ashamed at the actions of his prince. That deliberately misleading the leaders of other nations was not the way to make long lasting relationships, and that by continuing the farce they not doing themselves any favors. Every other kingdom wanted to amuse themselves by competing for the haughty ‘princess’. Thus preventing the real Koh from brokering any deals for the betterment of his kingdom. Plus he was still failing to fulfill his duty to find a life partner, someone to help him rule, and keeping from taking his place as king. He said that he was ashamed that his ‘friend’ had let things get so out of control. Finally, the peasant pulled off his hat so the prince could see his face. It was his oldest friend, Takato.”

When Akihito just looked confused, Yoh explained. “Takato was his childhood friend, but he hadn’t seen him since his parents died. It turns out that Takato’s family had gone bankrupt due the loss to trade to other kingdoms. Takato was forced to work as a farmer to feed his family, and keep some sort of roof over their heads. Koh immediately felt ashamed at this, offered to help in any way he could. Takato just sniffed, and told the prince that if he wanted to help he needed to get act together first. Together, the two friends set up a new system. One would pretend to be the ‘princess’ and the other the prince. Together they would steer the visitors away from flirting to things that actually mattered. By double teaming the duo was able to get some actual trade agreements going. Eventually, prince Koh decided to name Takato as his platonic life partner. Thus cutting off most of the suitors, and letting the kingdom move on. Just last year the prince was given his rightful crown, becoming king Koh I. Things have been much better since then. I even understand the duo switch off wearing breeches and dresses based on their respective moods.”

“And we’re going to see these two nut jobs?” Akihito said with disbelief.

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.” Akihito said with an eye roll, but continued to follow the crow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. Another one down. This one seemed to be a whole lot of conversing, but I hope it was entertaining anyway. Next chapter will be a lot more active. The next one after that...well I think it will be time to check up on Asami.


End file.
